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Chapter Eleven - Stubborness is like poker... mostly about the bluff

Chapter Eleven - Stubborness is like poker... mostly about the bluff

Arin was dreaming, a sort of half awake half asleep dream where she stood in an elevator with all of the buttons pressed. Each time the door opened a fresh horror waited for her on the other side. She frowned as the elevator came closer to number four but the door didn't open as instead a bleep bleep sounded and she opened her eyes to the real world. Rubbing a hand over her face she sat up and looked at the offending noises owner. Oh how she was starting to hate that watch.

She groaned and rubbed the palm of her hand over her neck, pushing the sweaty hair away from it a moment. This was hour four of their stalemate and it was shaping up to be as lengthy a conflict of standstill as the First World War at this rate. Cameron had come and gone supplying House with a handheld game that made an unholy assortment of noise itself and with coffee. Robyn had appeared with soda, which House had denied her, and left again at the diagnosticians bidding.

"Not again," she groaned exasperated and becoming more and more exhausted as the hours stacked up. Between the emotional rollercoaster of the day, the stress of the morning and the fever she felt like a well wrung rag.

House remained seated, his eyes fixed upon the small screen of his gameboy advanced. The game was Metroid: Zero Mission and felt both fresh yet provided a healthy dose of nostalgia for people like himself who remembered the NES original; where the game cartridge had been slightly larger than the entire console he currently held. He had heard his watch beep, however, had decided to leave the kid in suspense for a couple of minutes. That and he was in the middle of a boss battle he intended to win. Although letting her stew on this occasion might just help put another chink in her so far impressive armour. Truth be told he had expected her to fold by the time the first hour was up, let alone still digging in after four. If he had known it would last this long he would have ordered Cameron to bring him more snacks and some beer.

Arin waited and when it appeared he was engrossed in his game, she flopped back into the pillows and let loose a sigh that had been sitting in her chest. He hadn't really spoken to her for the last three hours and the silence that at first was welcome, now was beginning to wear on her. She considered the pros and cons of engaging him in conversation. Con: Silent and game playing kept him away from her and their new hourly dance of thermometer, pen light, blood pressure cuff and pulse. So far the fabled stethoscope hadn't appeared which made her sure he was bluffing. Con: silence was boring in both ways if it continued surely he would give it up, get bored and go home.

She pondered. Pro: he was at least interesting, so conversation might also be. Pro: she couldn't sleep and conversation would help with her boredom. Maybe he hadn't heard the beep over the game beeping. She closed her eyes and considered if that meant she would get away with it for another hour uninterrupted.

One final volley of missiles and the boss burst into tiny pixelated fragments. House did a fist pump, claimed his prize for defeating it and then hauled ass to the nearest save station. His progress saved, he turned the gameboy off in order to conserve battery power. If this duel went on much longer he would need to send for a new pack of batteries. Rising from his chair, he stretched off his legs before crossing the short distance to where the nurses trolley sat. He picked up his penlight and prepared for round five.

The game sound ended, no such luck. She lay where she was, eyes closed and feigned sleep for now as she composed herself for his approach. A small part of her brain once more telling the reptilian portion that took over during amygdala hijack, that she'd be less stressed if she gave him his darned tests and that it'd be over with quicker with less pain than the current situation. Round five...ding.